Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Winterville, NC – Mary Lou “LuLu” Swindell Harris, age 90, died at ECU Health Medical Center on Monday, August 8, 2022. A private service will be held at a later date.

Mrs. Harris was born June 1, 1932 as one of four children born to Metrah Harvey Swindell and Louella O’Neal Swindell. She grew up and lived most of her life in Hyde County and graduated in 1950 from Campbell University. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She brought joy and energy into every life she touched. She ran the race of life trusting in the Lord Jesus and he saw her through to and beyond the finish line.

For 21 years, she was employed with Mattamuskeet School as secretary/finance officer and two and a half years with the Hyde County Sheriff Dept as “Touchline” Coordinator, contacting 96 elderly clients twice a day. She was instrumental in establishing a DARE program for Hyde County Schools and was on the Hyde County Board of Education for eight years. She was a vestry member at Saint Georges Episcopal Church and served on the Board and Altar Guild at Calvary Episcopal Church. She was on the Advisory Board of Community Based Alternatives and  Regional Educational Service Alliance, Vice President of the Southern Albemarle Association, Chairman of Hyde County Cooperative Extension Service Advisory Leadership Council, First President of the Hyde County Chapter of Educational Office Personnel, chaired Cross Creek Health Care Center Community Relations, chaired Hyde County Children’s Care Center, Inc, served on the Hyde County Prison Board and Second Vice President of Hyde Democratic Party. She was recognized by Governor Jim Martin as a volunteer who provided services to NC’s greatest resource, the people.

She moved to Winterville in 2006 and continued her volunteer work at Vidant Medical Center, the American Red Cross Blood Bank, and the Ronald McDonald House. She became a member of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church and a member of the “Gladabouts” with the Winterville Baptist Church. She was a member of the Eastern Star and a member of the Pitt County Shrinettes.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Percy Harris; brothers, Blair Swindell and Hal Swindell; sister, Mazie Swindell Hildebrand; and granddaughter, Blair Jarvis.

She is survived by daughter, Virginia (Jinny) McBride and husband Bob; son, Tom Harris and wife Darlene; and daughter, Betty Glaze and husband Tony. She was lovingly known as “LuLu” by her four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Faith, family, learning, and kindness were cornerstones of her life. She lived a life of great abundance in the love she bestowed on her children and grandchildren. Her extraordinary faith in her heavenly Father gave her a purpose driven life. Her children were the gold in which she took great delight. Their success and wellbeing were her personal joy and their pain hers. Her faith was practiced in the Episcopal Church all of her life. She serviced Him well as a model of unflinching faith and powerful gentleness.

The family would like to thank Dr. Hamstead at Physicians East in Farmville and Realo Drugs on Fire Tower Road for their care and support. Also, a special thanks to her caregivers, Ella House and Willa Mae Peterson.

In lieu of flowers please consider St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 107 Louis St., Greenville, NC 27858 or Shriners Hospital for Children, PO Box 12829, New Bern NC 28561.

Arrangements by Smith Funeral Service & Crematory. Online condolences may be expressed at www.smithfcs.com.

READ MORE OBITUARIES HERE.